


Power Falls

by ninedaysaqueen



Category: The Queen's Thief - Megan Whalen Turner
Genre: Blackmail, Drama, Eating patriarchy for breakfast, Evil people being evil, First Person Irene's POV, Gen, Kings & Queens, POV First Person, Political Alliances, Pre-Series, Relius in a dress but not like that, Spying, Treachery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-13
Updated: 2016-06-13
Packaged: 2018-07-14 18:37:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7185446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninedaysaqueen/pseuds/ninedaysaqueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During her first year as queen, Irene is left with little choice but to trust a young boy she found hiding under a wagon to help her stop a civil war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Power Falls

**Author's Note:**

  * For [roseveare](https://archiveofourown.org/users/roseveare/gifts).



> My recipient requested clever!Irene, so I decided to write a pre-series story, as Irene's cleverness is easy to overlook when shadowed by Eugenides's much more flamboyant genius. Relius demanded to be a guest star. 
> 
> Please, remember that this takes place at least five years before The Thief, and we're also dealing with a much younger, less sure of herself Irene. This series of events works with details described in the books, given a few stretches.

They'd pulled the boy out from underneath a wagon. He was dirty, as was to be expected, one ratty sleeve hanging off his shoulder. He eyed my up and down as if I'd been the one spying on him a moment before, and not the other way around.

“Who do you work for?” I asked. I'd been tirelessly practicing my delivery, and was becoming quite pleased with how I sounded. Giving commands like someone who expected them to be obeyed had not been included alongside my education of sewing and weaving.

“No one, Your Majesty, but I hope to work for you," the brat replied.

I couldn't help but smirk at this. “What use could I have of a dirty street rat my guards just pulled out from underneath an old wagon?”

He shrugged. “I'm still alive, so you must have something in mind.” 

His audacity made me curious. “Well, you do seem to have an inclination for spying.”

 

\-------

To be honest, this boy may have been a blessing from the gods. It was unfair of me to refer to him as a boy, for he may have been a few years older than myself, but since I'd assassinated my fiancé for the crown, I didn't feel especially young anymore. I felt ageless. As if I'd grown old in a single day and not even noticed. 

I'd yet to build a reliable network of spies to ferret out the intelligence that might prove essential to preserving my crown and my life. If the boy proved useful, I could use him to continue my climb towards power. If he failed in his mission tonight, he did not look as if anyone would miss him.

I observed my court as they danced gaily across the glossy floors of the throne room. It would be easy to relax in these moments, but I knew I could not afford my focus to wane. A glance or a single gesture may provide a clue as to which baron, lord, or lady I needed to be watching next.

Where most would observe only the opulence of the court's fine food, clothes, and music, I saw nothing but a sea of enemies. Anyone of them may be planning to kill me. The thought certainly prevented my dinner from settling well at night.

Baron Abraxas approached me, eyeing my guards till I gave a clear signal that they may stand down. He took my hand and kissed it. I faked a charming, feminine smile.

“Allow me to be the first to congratulate, Your Highness, on her upcoming anniversary--one year as ruler of our great state.”

He spoke pleasantly, but the words were a sarcastic insult. A country full of barons ready to tear out one another's throats was not a great state. I feigned ignorance and thanked him.

“What does Her Majesty think of the Eddisian princess? I hear one of her brothers has fallen ill. She might be a neighboring queen one day.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. The likelihood of all of the immediate male heirs to the throne of Eddis passing away to make room for Eddis's short, ugly princess to be queen was unlikely. Still, my barons loved to remind me that there was princess just over the mountains, living safely with her father, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, and cousins. 

“I doubt she and I will be mending linens together anytime soon,” I said, allowing a little irritation to show in my voice, “but perhaps we will have a few stories to share once we're old.”

Baron Abraxas smirked politely. He thought I was stupid, implying that I might grow old. I understood that taking control of my country would mean I'd be embracing the possibility of a horrible death should my vigilance fail me, but I hadn't expected to by reminded of it on an almost daily basis. 

He offered me a dance, as was polite after approaching me. I refused. 

“You must excuse me for the remainder of the evening, Baron. I have a meeting later on an urgent matter with one of your neighboring fiefs, I believe” His face fell slightly. “I'll have to skip the dancing.” I smiled sweetly, betraying nothing. 

 

\-------

 

Not ten minutes later, I'd returned to my rooms. I had lied about the meeting, but I hoped another, more secret meeting was taking place somewhere in the palace. If the gods decided to bless me tonight, I'd picked the right person to listen.

 

\-------

 

I awoke to feminine screams. Either, my ladies-in-waiting were all simultaneously having a seizer or there was a disturbance in the waiting room. I stormed out, my hair down and wearing only a nightdress and robe.

I immediately identified the source. Flanked by his manservants and my guards, Barron Abraxas had a young boy in his grip by the hair. My young boy, the one I'd sent to spy on him.

“What is the meaning of this disturbance?” I spoke in a calm yet threatening voice, not looking at my spy.

“Your Majesty, a thousand apologizes for the unorthodox audience, however this boy has made such wild claims after I caught him sneaking about in servant's garb that I was forced to take immediate action, and bring him to your attention.

I waited, blinking in a bored and tired manner. This only proved what a threat this man was to me, that he could and would demand my attention in my private waiting room in the middle of the night.

The baron continued, shaking the boy, who simply hung limp and unfeeling in his clutches. “I caught this boy trying to eavesdrop on a private conversation, and when I confronted him, he asininely claimed he was sent there by none other than Your Majesty herself.”

I said nothing.

“Of course, such allegations are preposterous, and I brought him here immediately, so that, Her Highness may decide how he should be punished.”

Oh, very clever.

“I am familiar with this treacherous brat,” he shook the boy again. “He is the product of one of my household steward's dalliances with the village maids.” 

I stared at Baron Abraxas. Such crude language to use before his queen.

Not once even looking at the boy, I said, “Lock him up for the night. I may be leader of this fine nation, but I am still a woman, my baron, I need my beauty sleep. I shall decide in the morning what sort of punishment to bestow.”

The baron seemed satisfied with this, but he was still suspicious about whether the boy's claims were true. I could skin him alive for admitting I sent him there.

“My guards will stand watch if Her Majesty will allow it. No need to take away the Guard's precious time on the queen's gold.”

I nodded. “Of course,” acting bored. It was terribly easy to fool someone who thought you were stupid and reckless.

Handing the boy to one of his guards, he bowed and left the waiting room. I finally let out the breath I'd been holding.

 

\-------

 

I did not return to my bed that night, instead I dressed in my warmest skirts and went to visit my dungeon. 

I approached the cell the boy was being held in. My dungeons were very modern, with large locking doors, not cell bar walls. Unfortunately, these were more difficult to escape.

I approached the baron's three guardsman, lifting my hood all the way, just in case they hadn't already recognized me. “Open the door. I wish to question this boy myself.”

The men glanced at one another and shrugged before unlocking the door. I gestured for my ladies to follow. We all wore hoods.

The boy was huddled in one corner, seeming more cold than scared. He didn't look surprised to see me. I made eye contact with him and glared till I heard the door latch behind us. 

My ladies spread out immediately, blocking the guard's view from the small barred window. One of my ladies approached the boy with a dress as he stood.

“Switch clothes with Ellia here,” I ordered in a whisper. “We are lucky you are skinny like a woman.” He pursed his lips at this statement, but seemed to be smart enough not to argue. It took a few minutes for them to change discreetly, but the hood and dress disguised the boy perfectly. Ellia in his shirt and pants servant's uniform could pass for a boy. She quickly curled up the corner, hiding her hair with the dirty prisoner's blanket and pressing her face into her arms in a morose looking position.

I gestured for the boy to follow after I'd given the order for the door to be opened. The guards did not look twice.

 

\-------

 

We made it back to my rooms without incident. The boy dropped Ellia's hood to the floor mussing up his hair and looking with disdain down at his dress. I told my ladies to leave. 

We stared at one another, the boy and I, for a long moment before he broke the silence. “I knew you needed the information I had. It was my best chance at staying alive, Your Highness. I only told him you sent me, because I knew he would bring me to you.”

“I might be willing to excuse the fact you didn't tell me the man I sent you to spy on would recognize you, if you have the information I need or-”

He interrupted, “Baron Ubiquidies, my queen. Abraxas got nervous when you said you were meeting with one of his neighbors, just as you thought, and went to speak to Ubiquidies. He killed another baron's son last year and told the boy's father he died in a horse riding accident. I'm sure there are others. ”

I wasn't surprised at the name, but the circumstances for which he was being blackmailed caused me to take a seat at one of my couches. 

Baron Abraxas had an iron grip on power over many barons and blackmail was his primary weapon of choice. I decided two could play at that game, and had been trying to out-secret him for months. I had to discover what he had on the other barons. It was the only way I could prevent the possibility of civil war.

“First, we shall find you a more appropriate set of clothes," I observed. He blushed. “Second, we will call upon Ubiquidies's wife.” He looked confused at first, but a knowing smile soon spread across his face. 

 

\-------

 

Men in power often assume that women choose to look the other way out of ignorance or naivety, but usually, it's out of love.

Baroness Ubiquidies was my best chance at finding the truth. If I could prove I already knew what Ubiquidies didn't want getting out, there would be no reason for him to pay Abraxas blackmail in gold and political favors.

If I could show my barons I could free one of Abraxas's victims from his chokehold, the rest would not be so afraid to follow suit. The next step in proving my strength as queen, lay with this woman. Unlike her husband, who was no doubt being watched like a prize hen, she could slip through the cracks. It hadn't proved too difficult to arrange a secret meeting with her.

She was seated in my waiting room, looking frightened but also seemed a little relieved. “I believe we both know why we are here, Baroness,” I said.

She studied the rings on her fingers. “I can't imagine, Your Majesty.” 

“Don't lie,” I warned, my voice rising. “I have the eve of a civil war on my hands, and cannot afford anymore lies. Your husband, I want to know what happened.”

She took a deep breath, “My husband, is a good man. What happened with that young lord...” she trailed off. “He was attacking someone from the village he'd claimed stolen from him, and my husband... He... He came across them, and tried to help. He never meant to...”

I shook my head and sighed. It happened all too often that those of us in the patronoi who tried to defend the okloi ended up with the consequences of the abuser's mistakes.

“I understand, Baroness.” At first glance, I would've described this woman as unassuming, but in this light, she had a sort of cold strength to her.

“What will happen to us, my queen?” 

“Nothing, if I have anything to say about it.” I said with a great deal of authority. “Does Abraxas have any proof your husband did this?” 

She looked lost. “Only the reports of witnesses.” 

I smiled, “They will be well paid for their silence or threatened for it if need be.” 

She blinked. “Her Majesty will not put my husband in prison?”

“For defending his people and lands? No, he need not fear me.” I stood and urged her towards the door. “Tell him, to cut all ties with Abraxas, and to encourage the other barons to do the same. If they ask how he managed this, he should tell them that the queen is protecting him, and that I will extend the same courtesy to all those who stand against Abraxas.”

She bobbed her head quickly. “I will, Your Highness. We are in your debt,” she said and left.

I heard a door open behind me. 

I turned and considered the boy, who'd just helped me succeed in what had seemed an impossible undertaking just yesterday. He'd been given fine, clean clothing and was suddenly looking much more like a man and less like a skinny street urchin. “I don't believe it was an accident my men discovered you under that wagon, was it?”

He looked apologetic, “My queen must forgive me, but I could no longer tolerate that man's designs to the throne, as you now know, we've meet personally.”

I raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. 

“I must ask, the girl who took my place...” he began

I shook my head. “I've arranged for a few servants girls to bring breakfast and drink to the guards in the morning, she will be able to slip out easily enough.” He smiled, acknowledging my cleverness.

“Now, Relius...” he seemed taken aback that I'd remembered his name. “Let's discuss your future here.”

\---

****

Epilogue

Nearly, a decade after our first triumph together came the lowest point in our friendship. A point that eventually saw me penning a pardon that was also an apology by candlelight. My friend, who'd volunteered from the very beginning to support me. The first to believe in what I was doing had also been betrayed by me. 

Like all things, Relius foresaw the inevitability of this outcome and had prepared for it. Underneath a miniature toy wagon sitting on his desk, I found this note the day I arrested him.

__

My dearest queen,

I once told you never to trust anyone, but I must tell you, I never took my own advice. I've always trusted you to make the wisest, most selfless decisions for this kingdom. That includes the decisions you will make in regards to me and the king.

No matter what happens I forgive you. 

-R

\---

"So, let me get this straight," began Eugendies, "My wife found you underneath a wagon, got you locked in a dungeon, then put you in a dress?"

Relius wasn't looking at him, but he could hear the king chortling. "Those are all cherished memories of mine, don't make my life sound like a farce." It was a minute before the king got himself under control.

"Tell me how you convinced the rest of Abraxas's supporters to desert him. I want the full account," requested the king.

They spent the rest of the night spinning tales of intrigue.


End file.
